Congress protest today is appeasement politics, sends anti-Ram temple message: Amit Shah

Pointing out that today is the anniversary of the foundation ceremony, he said the Congress, by holding the protest in black clothes, "is sending a subtle message that they are protesting against the foundation ceremony for Ram Janmabhoomi and is taking forward their policy of appeasement".

The Congress has hit back, saying it was a desperate attempt to "divert, distract, polarise and give a malicious twist" to its democratic demonstrations against price rise.

"Home Minister has made a desperate attempt to divert, distract, polarise and give a malicious twist to today's democratic protests of @INCIndia against price rise,unemployment & GST. It's only a sick mind which can produce such bogus arguments. Clearly the protests have hit home!" tweeted senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and his colleagues were detained by police after the grand old party launched a massive protest, planned last, against the Narendra Modi government in the Centre in a bid to "save democracy", wearing all black clothes in the national capital Friday.

"This is about cases registered in court. Why do they hold protests every day? I feel the Congress has a hidden agenda -- they have extended their appeasement policy in a disguised manner," said Shah, whose ministry is in charge of the law and order in Delhi.

Questioning the timing of the protest, he said, "Today, the Enforcement Directorate has not summoned anybody or questioned anybody. No raids have happened... I don't understand why the protest had to be held today".

"I admit that it was on this day that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation for the Ram Janmabhoomi, providing a peaceful solution to a 550-year-old problem. Nowhere in the country was there any violence of riot...  I'll say that a policy of appeasement is neither good for the country, nor the Congress," said the Home Minister.  

In dramatic scenes, Congress leaders started marching from their party headquarters to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to lodge their protests on issues like unemployment, price rise, Goods and Services Tax (GST), alleged attack on democracy.

After the Congress leaders were detained, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra jostled with police, climbed the barricade and sat on a dharna.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi was earlier seen protesting in Parliament.

The detained Congress leaders were released later in the evening.